Three in ten women do not attend cervical screening

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Three in ten women invited by the NHS to have cervical screening do not take up the offer – and the numbers attending have dropped slightly, according to new data.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme, England 2022-2023 annual report, published by NHS England, shows 68.7% of 25-64-year-olds had attended screening within the recommended time, compared to 69.9% the previous year.

The data is a setback to NHS England plans to eliminate cervical cancer as a problem over the next two decades.

Women are now being urged to accept NHS cervical screening invites after the findings reveal the proportion attending was higher for 50-64-year-olds at 74.4%, compared to 65.8% for 25-49-year-olds.

In 2022-23, a total of 4.62 million individuals aged 25 to 64 in England were invited to book an appointment and 3.43 million attended screening during the year.

Steve Russell, chief delivery officer and national director for vaccinations and screening for NHS England, said: “We know that it’s possible for the NHS to eliminate cervical cancer within the next two decades, but it relies on millions of people continuing to come forward for screening and vaccinations every year.